Bonn, 25.08.2023 Today, the German Broadband Association (BREKO) published a position paper on Open Access in fiber optic expansion. The aim is to lay the foundation for an industry standard with a concrete definition of Open Access in order to give even more impetus to fiber optic expansion in Germany and avoid economically pointless double expansion.

Everyone has been talking about open access in fiber optic expansion for many years. The advantages of open network access, which gives interested service providers access to high-performance fiber optic networks, are obvious: granting open network access can significantly improve the utilization and refinancing of fiber optic networks. Open access gives end customers a greater choice of providers.

However, a definition of the term “Open Access” has been lacking until now. In the position paper published today, the more than 240 telecommunications companies organized in BREKO, which are driving forward the expansion of fiber optics in Germany, have agreed for the first time on a common understanding of Open Access and are pursuing the goal of making this the industry standard. BREKO Managing Director Dr. Stephan Albers: “Open Access needs clear criteria that take equal account of the interests of companies expanding fiber optic networks and wholesale customers. We have set these with our definition. Anyone who still seriously claims that Open Access business models in fiber optic expansion are failing due to a lack of technical interfaces either does not want to open up their networks as a provider or does not want to buy into other networks as a consumer.”

Four criteria are at the heart of BREKO’s Open Access definition:

Voluntary network access

Open Access will become a successful model if the interests of both providers and consumers are adequately taken into account. Open Access should therefore not be imposed by the Federal Network Agency, but should be implemented on a voluntary basis. The steadily increasing number of Open Access cooperations shows that Open Access works without state intervention. The companies involved must and can balance different interests themselves. The Federal Network Agency should provide moderating support in order to establish an industry standard.

Open network access

In principle, Open Access offerings should be available to any interested service provider on a non-discriminatory basis. Exclusive access, which is reserved for certain users, is therefore not covered by the term Open Access.

Non-discriminatory network access

Individual open access customers should only be treated differently if there is an objective justification for this. This does not affect the possibility of price differentiation between individual demanders, for example if the purchase of a certain number of connections by individual demanders is guaranteed.

Focus on the connection of end customers

Only those network accesses that enable direct access to end customers, such as layer 2 or layer 3 bitstream access, fall under the definition of open access.

Layer 2 bitstream as a central Open Access product

Even if Open Access can be granted at different stages of the value chain, there is much to suggest that – at least for the mass market (private connections and most business customers) – Layer 2 bitstream access will emerge as the central Open Access product. It is therefore important to develop the necessary interfaces, processes and contractual standards with this product in mind.